Women's Ground Ball Checking Drill

Drill Specs

Drill Theme:

Ground Balls

Field Position:

Midfield

Drill Style:

Warm-Up, Skills

Time Needed:

10 min

Field Location:

Midfield

Skill Level:

Intermediate

Objective

Improve player’s ability to pick up ground balls and check an opponent’s stick when the opportunity arises. Enhance players understanding of how, when and why to check a player on a ground ball pick up.

Description of Drill-Execution

This is a drill that you can run as a conditioning drill with five players moving fairly quickly. It is a drill that players run themselves so the coach can attend to the players and help them with any error correction that is needed. Three players are set up side by side at one end of the grid. The player in the middle has the ball. She rolls the ball away from the players on either side of her and they take off attempting to retrieve the groundball. Once one player has control

of the ball the other player looks to create a turnover and tries make the check and then gain control of the ball. If the player has an opportunity to check they should use the “Out and Away” check. This is a great check that allows you to dislodge the ball and then maintain great body position on the player you just created a turnover with.

The key with this check is that it will propel the ball out and in front of you so you can easily pick it up with good body position.

Once one player maintains possession the two players head to the opposite end of the grid from where they started. Two players are down at the opposite end are waiting until the player with the ball reaches them. The player with the ball rolls the ground ball out for these two players to go after. The sequence continues.